A NEW £2.2 million water main is being built to combat the drought in Pendle and Burnley.

Heavy rainfall has helped restock supplies, but local reservoirs are still less than half full.

North West Water will begin work next month an eight-mile pipe which will bring an extra 43 million litres a day into the area.

The main connects the existing main under Accrington Road, Burnley, with the aqueduct which channels water from Haweswater in the Lake District.

A spokesman for the water company told the Citizen: "Sources in the Pennines are still only about 47 per cent compared with 79 per cent in an average year and 67 per cent last year.

"The latest measure will duplicate a section of the Calder Valley trunk main, increasing supplies to customers in Burnley, Nelson and Colne. The work will boost supplies starting in October.

"The new main will also reduce the risk of a loss in supplies in the event of a burst in this area where repairs could take some time."

The hosepipe ban continues.

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